Aircraft pyrotechnic



M. w. LLOYD Agg. 7, 1945.

AIRCRAFT PYROTECHNIC Filed Jan. 25, 1945 lib, 1

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Patented Aug. 7, 1945 Milby W. Lloyd, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January 25, 1943, Serial No. 473,568

3 Claims..

This invention relates to aircraft pyrotechnics and has particular reference to a means for signaling from a moving vehicle or craft.

A principal object of the invention is' to provide a. new and improved means for signaling from a rapidly moving 'craft such as an airplane.

l ing the manner in which the other end of the line Because of the speed with which aircraft now, i

move, under some conditions-such, for example, as when a number of aircraft are maneuveringitis verydiiiicult, if not impossible, to correlate a particular .pyrotechnic signal with the craft from which it was red.

This invention contemplates the provision of a pyrotechnic signal which may be trailed. from such a craft and in relatively close vproximitytile comprising -a combustible flare which is thereto so as to make it possible to correlate the signal with the craft from which it was iired;

A further object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a new and improved means for signaling from a rapidly moving craft which.cn'

sists of a pyrotechnie signal which is adapted to' be trailed behind such a craft..

Another objectof 'the invention is to provide a pyrotechnic signal comprising 'a part which is adapted to be releasably anchored to the craft and a combustible flare connected to such part by a line which limits the travel of the flare relative tothe part so as to enable the burning are to be trailed behind the vehicle or craft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pyrotechnic signal of the type herein disclosed consisting of a cartridge having a combustible flare and a line arranged therein.

Other objects and advantages of the inventionl;

will be apparent from a. consideration of the fol Vlowing specification taken -in conjunction with.

which there is one the accompanying drawing. of sheet and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of a part of an aircraft in flight y `with a burning flare trailing therebehind for recognition or signaling purposes;

Fig. 2 is an eievationai view with parts Shown in section of one type of discharger which might be provided in the aircraft for discharging the pyrotechnic signal;

Fig. 3 is arlongitudinal embodiment of a pyrotechnic signal before beingr discharged; f

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken in a plane along the line 4- 4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows,

sectional 'view of one Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illushtrating the manner in which the line is connected to thefiare projectile; and 1 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrat- 4adapted to engage the rim is connected to the projectile case. l v The pyrotechnic signal herein disclosed comprises a means for signaling from a rapidly moving vehicle or craft and consists in generalof -a signal cartridge indicated generally at i0. The cartridge includes an expendable case I 2 which is adapted to be releasably anchored to the vehiprovided in the case for. electing the projectile therefrom, and a line 20 connected to said case and to said projectile is provided for limiting'the travel `of the flare I6 relative to the case I2 during the burning of the are so as to trail the burning flare behind and in relatively close proximity'to said vehicle or craft. I

The case I2 may bemade to fit within the barrel 24 of a signal discharger 26 removably mounted in a recoil mount 23 carried by the wall 3D ofthe craft I4. The discharger 26may comprise a breech-loading single shot firearm and have firing mechanism including a firing pin actuated and released by a trigger 32. The specific I form of discharger and mount form no part of the present invention, but are illustrated merely for the purpose of indicating one mode of discharging the Isignal cartridge herein disclosed and of anchoring the burning flare to the craft.

The signal discharger includes a latch 34 38' of the cartridge I0 which, as illustrated, is of ammunition. When the discharger. 26 is` mounted in the mount. 28, upon unlocking the breech by manipulation of they breech lock 38 the breech block and handle of the dischargerwill pivot about the pivot 40 relative to the barrel 24, therebyexposing-the breech end of the barrel andthe car-- tridge I6 therein. Upon this relative movement. between the handle of barrel 24, an extractor mechanism of which the latch 34 is a part will move the cartridge case l2 rearwardly in the barrel whereby the latch 34 may wardly through the gun barrel therein.

The discharger illustrated is disclosed in an. ap'

plication Serial'No. 447,292, filed bySeverance et al. on June 16, 1942, for Flare pistol,Patent No. 2,360,168, Oct.' 10, 1944. y

the inner rim -typ'e of the discharger and the The base of the cartridge has a primer 44 therein adapted to be set off by the flring pin of the discharger, and this primer is adapted to ignite the powder charge I 8 contained in the base of the shell. A washer 46 arranged transversely of the shell next to the powder charge I8 cooperates with the projectile I6 to dene a space within the shell I2 within which the line 20 is arranged. The line 20 may consistl of an elongated coil of wire which is suitably arranged in the space between the projectile I6 and the washer 46, one end of the wire 20 being anchored to one-end of a core 48 which seats against the washer 46.

The core 48 is embedded in the flare composition I6 and is hollow. The hollow center of the core 48 is filled with a slow burning powder which communicates through an opening in the washer with the forward end of the are composition I 6. Upon explosion of the powder charge I8 the powder within the core begins to burn and-serves as a fuse for igniting the iiare I6. The other end of the line 20 is anchored at 50 to the forward edge of the case I 2, which before firing of the cartridge is closed by a disk52 which functionsl to retain the flare I6, et cetera within the case I2. The en ds of the line 20 may be connected, for example by soldering, to the core 48 of the flare projectile and tothe shell I2 as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 respectively.

When the primer 44 is set off, the explosion of the powder ejects the projectile I6 and the wire 20 from the case, the wire 20 unwinding until it is taut and thus serving to limit thetravel of the projectile |16 relative to the case I2. The line 20 may be formed of wire or any suitable material. Fig. 1 illustrates the manner in which the burning ilare I'B is anchored by the Wire 20 to the craft I4 through the medium of the case I2 which is anchored within the discharger 26 by the latch 34.

While this pyrotechnic signal is illustrated in connection with an aircraft, it might be used in connection with any other kind of a moving craft, such as a ship or land vehicle, and it might be 'used even from a stationary place or craft when desirable.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the. purpose of illustration only and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as 4will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

I claim:

1. Means for signalling from an aircraft having a signal discharger provided with a latch, a signal cartridge comprising an expendable case adapted to .be arranged in and releasably anchored to said discharger by means of saidlatch, a projectile in said case adapted to be ejected therefrom and comprising a combustible are provided with means for igniting said are upon being ejected from said case, means for ejecting said projectile from said case and arranged in said case between the base thereof and said projectile, and a line connected to said case and to said flare so as to limit the travel of said Iiare .relative to said case during the burning of said flare so as to trail said burning ilare behind and in sufficiently close proximity to said aircraft so as to identify said iiare with said aircraft.

2. Means for signalling from an aircraft having a signal discharge'r provided with a latch, a

signal cartridge comprising an expendable case i adapted to be arranged in and releasably anchored to said discharger by means of said latch, said case having a powder charge in the base thereof, a projectile comprising a combustible are provided with means for igniting said flare upon being ejected from said case, said iiare having a rearwardly extending stem projecting therefrom, a Washer arranged transversely of said case adjacent said powder charge, the rear end of said stem being seated against said washer, and a line connected to said stem and to said case so as to limit the travel of said are relative'to said case during the burning of said flare so as to trail said burning flare behind and in suiliciently close proximity -to said aircraft so as to identify said are therewith. i

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which said line is arranged in a coil in said casebefore the discharge of said signal and between said washer and said are.

MILBY W. LLOYD. 

